Heart to Heart to Heart
by writingforlife
Summary: Gladion's worried, Moon's stressed, and Hau is a sweetheart.


By principle, Moon didn't cry. She didn't shout, she didn't lose control. She was the epitome of calm, a kind of steady force that all of Alola relied on. It mattered to a region what kind of person its Champion was, after all. Though she'd been Champion for a short time, about two months, she'd taken to it immediately. The people of Alola slept well at night, knowing they could always trust in the heart and mind of Moon.

But few people knew Moon, knew her deeply as a young girl. Those who did consisted of the Trial Captains, the Kahunas, her family and her friends. Her friends most of all. Hau, her best friend, and Gladion, an enemy turned rival turned friend. It was only in front of these two boys when Moon let her guard down, and stepped out of the shoes of the renowned and acclaimed Champion, and into her life as Moon. Just Moon.

She could tell them anything, and they could confide in her, too. It was idyllic; something that Moon might have read in a child's novel. A peaceful friendship, filled with light humor and whispered secrets. But Moon knew better than to trust in the stories crafted for children.

Her nightmares had worsened after she returned to Alola from a series of conferences she'd attended in Kanto. Scrutinized by crowds of people, her only comfort had been the presence of familiar Champions Red and Blue. Moon never mentioned her nightmares to Hau or Gladion. Never said how she often woke in the dark, clutching her sheets close to her body as she shivered despite the warm night. How cold green eyes pierced her in her sleep, when she should have been free from the fear they induced. How weak she felt in moments like that, feeling the tears pool in her eyes, feeling the desire to call for her mother, and knowing she couldn't. A Champion was strong above all else. Moon was a Champion.

Sometimes Hau could tell there was something bothering her, but he never questioned her. Perhaps he knew how private the girl had always been, and respected that. Whatever the case, he watched her carefully as he spent his days with her, battling and training together, eating and laughing together.

Gladion didn't have as good a grasp on Moon as Hau did, but he cared about her enough to notice something was off. His worry deepened when Moon took to flinching when he met her eyes suddenly.

"What is it?" he asked as the two of them trained their Pokémon. They had sat down in the shade of a tree, observing the landscape of Poni Plains during a break. Gladion had turned to offer his training partner some water, only for Moon to visibly wince and tense her shoulders. She shook her head adamantly, citing her weariness after training. She accepted the water with thanks, and said no more while they rested. She stared ahead, her gaze far behind her Decidueye practicing archery in front of her.

Gladion approached Hau right after his training session with Moon had ended, seeking guidance. Though it pained him to admit to the Kahuna's grandson that he needed his help, he had no one else to turn to. And he wouldn't deny that Hau knew Moon best.

"Does Moon hate me?" he said, rather bluntly, the moment he got Hau alone. He searched the trainer's eyes for the truth.

Hau frowned, setting the Malasada in his hand aside. He didn't have much spare time, with his training with Hala going as strong as ever, and whenever he did, he was sure to visit the local Malasada store.

"Why would she hate you?" Hau thought of the girl he called his best friend. He simply couldn't reconcile Moon to someone capable of hating Gladion.

Gladion shifted in his chair, uneasy. "I'm not sure," he said. "Sometimes when I look at her, she recoils. Like I'm her enemy. She waves it off and says she's fine, but-"

"She never means it when she says she's fine," finished Hau, nodding. "How long have you noticed this?"

"Over the past couple weeks," said Gladion. It had distressed him ever since he first saw.

"I'll talk to her about it," promised Hau. Catching Gladion's skeptical look, he smiled. "Come on, I got this!"

With a roll of his pale eyes, Gladion sighed. "You don't have a subtle bone in your body, Hau."

"Doesn't matter," said Hau, his voice full of resolve. "I'd do anything to help Moon. Even be subtle."

For a moment, Gladion was silent. He was in awe, though he'd never admit to it. Whatever Hau felt for Moon… it was strong. He'd never witnessed anything like it. Then he blinked and scowled.

"You don't pronounce the 'b' in subtle, Hau," he said, fighting back the urge to laugh.

Hau only smiled a silly smile and shrugged. He knew exactly how to say it; he just wanted to see the other boy lighten up for once. And maybe Gladion didn't let himself laugh. He had to work hard to hold it back. Hau could tell.

It was some hours later when Hau managed to track down Moon. She was usually somewhere on Melemele Island, but she'd been traveling more often recently. Hau tried to call her, but no one answered on the other side. After talking to Moon's mother, Hau determined where she would be.

Poké Pelago was accessible to anyone and everyone, but Mohn knew it was Moon's first and foremost. She'd made good use of the islands, working to make each one a kind of paradise for her Pokémon. Mohn didn't know the young trainer well, but he knew she had a good heart. Her many Pokémon roamed freely around the place, content. They would always light up when Moon came to visit, gathering around her in a massive crowd.

Moon's friends knew of the Pelago, but not much about it. Only Hau had accompanied her there before, and so he arrived to find Moon surrounded by her friends. He smiled softly.

"Hey, Moon!" he called out to her, waving his arm. She caught sight of him and beckoned him over. "What's up?"

She held up a finger, signaling for Hau to wait. Turning back to the Toucannon in front of her, Moon finished wrapping gauze around the bird Pokémon's talon. She smiled at Toucannon before looking back at Hau.

"Hello, Hau," she said, accepting his hand and allowing him to help her to her feet. "What brings you here?"

"I wanted to talk to you," Hau said, leading her to a shady spot near the enormous Poké Beanstalk. "Are you… doing okay?"

Moon glanced at him, puzzled. "Yes, of course. Why do you ask?"

Hau pondered over his next words. He told Gladion that he'd be subtle, but his priority was getting through to Moon. "Do you hate Gladion?"

She choked at that, gasping and coughing so severely the Pokémon nearest to her approached her in concern. She waved them away, smiling at them weakly to ease their worry. "Why in Arceus' name would I ever hate Gladion? He's one of my best friends, you know that!"

"I do know that," said Hau. He kept his face neutral, but he was grinning on the inside. He'd known there was no way Moon hated Gladion. The emotion in her voice just then, as she assured him she cared about Gladion, was real. Moon was real, about everything she did and said.

"Then why ask?" Moon's face darkened. "Has Gladion been worrying about that?"

"Yes," Hau said without hesitation. He would do a lot of things to make Gladion happy, but he would not lie to Moon. "He says you kinda freeze up when he looks at you sometimes."

Moon put her face in her hands. "It's not his fault," she said, her words muffled. "It's mine, all mine."

"Come on, now," said Hau, placing an arm around her placatingly. "It's not your fault."

"It is," she said, lifting her head. "Why can't I just-" She broke off, looking confused. "Never mind."

"Just what?" Hau prompted, raising an eyebrow. "Moon, please."

He engaged in a kind of staring contest with her, a battle of wills. Hau won.

"I can't seem to-" She stared at her hands held out in front of her. "Everyone's fine, Hau. Why can't I be fine?" Moon looked at him with such pain in her eyes, he couldn't stand it. He hugged her, making sure to give her plenty of time to react, to pull away if she wanted to. She didn't.

"Fine about what?" Hau said gently.

Moon held his gaze as she took a deep, shuddering breath. "Gladion… he has her eyes."

Hau paused. "Lillie's?" Was this all because Moon missed their dear friend in Kanto? Hau couldn't help but feel like missing Lillie didn't justify hurting Gladion, even if it was unconscious. He missed Lillie just as much, if not more, than Moon. He'd liked her, and hadn't even told her. Moon was just her friend, after all.

But then Moon shook her head, once again burying her head in her arms. She sank down onto the soft grass. It came crashing down on Hau in one horrible moment. He felt sick. Lusamine.

"Oh." He sat with her, settling against a tree. He was at a loss for words. What do you say to that, hearing your best friend is traumatized and you have no clue how to help her? Hau slung an arm around her shoulders. "Why didn't you tell us before?" he asked, speaking softly as to not, he hoped, make her feel he was blaming her.

"I don't know," Moon admitted. "Gladion grew up with her. And he's doing fine. I know he's still hurt, but he never lets that get in the way. You had your share of trouble, sometimes because of me. And Lillie-" Her voice broke.

"Lillie was so strong, Hau. She stood up to Lusamine that day in Ultra Space. She looked-" Moon stopped again, but looking more flustered than upset. She shook her head. "I have to be strong, Hau. For her, but for all of you, too."

"Moon, you're the strongest person I know," Hau said. "But you don't have to be strong all the time. No one does!"

"I should be," muttered Moon. "Everyone says it. Have you looked at the news lately?"

He had. The headlines for days had been Moon's excellent representation of Alola while she was away at several conferences for Champions. Reporters had gushed about her performance, while picking apart every detail of it. Hau remembered watching a local segment dedicated to Moon. At the time, he'd been thrilled to see his best friend in such high regard with so many viewers. Now he wondered if that had added onto the stress Moon surely felt.

"It doesn't matter," said Hau. "None of it matters."

"But it does, Hau," said Moon, exasperated. "It matters what I do, and that's a responsibility I should be able to take."

"No one's perfect," Hau said, but he knew his argument was weak. He tried again. "Moon, you deserve the chance to hurt, too. You took care of me when I was so sad that Lillie left. You took care of Gladion when he was dealing with running Aether all on his own. You even take care of the professor when he's in over his head with work. You take care of everyone, Moon. Let us take care of you for once."

Moon frowned. "Maybe you're right," she said. "But I don't know how to make it up to Gladion. I can't have him thinking I hate him."

"I know," said Hau, thinking. "How about I call him over here and we have a heart to heart to heart. You know, 'cause we'd have three hearts." Moon looked at him, and he struggled to keep a straight face.

Finally, she cracked a smile. Hau beamed at the sight, which only widened Moon's. "There it is," he said, poking her forehead playfully. "I missed your smile."

Moon made a face and tossed a handful of Poké Beans at him, encouraging her Pokémon to fall upon him in one writhing mass. It was all fun and games until Bewear lovingly collapsed on top of Hau. It took all of Moon's efforts to call the affectionate Pokémon away from her best friend so that he could once again breathe.

Neither trainer noticed Gladion's Charizard land near them. Moon's Pokémon scattered, evidently startled, as Gladion slid off his ride to find the laughing trainers. Mohn raised his head from where he sat his raft house, however. He'd seen Hau arrive; he'd met him before, and he seemed like a good friend of Moon's. Mohn furrowed his brow as he surveyed the newcomer. He was sure he didn't this young man, but something seemed familiar.

Gladion stood quietly as Moon and Hau laughed silently and heartily, respectively. He smiled to see Moon in such high spirits, and continued smiling in spite of himself about what part Hau played in causing it. "Ahem," he cleared his throat. "You called me why, Hau?"

Moon recovered before Hau, glancing up at him with a strange expression. It wasn't revulsion, like the flashes before. Maybe pity, but Moon didn't usually pity anyone.

"We've got to talk," said Hau, suddenly very serious. Gladion marveled at the change; he supposed when the situation was important enough, even the goofy Hau could be moved to act professional.

"About?" Gladion asked. Hau looked at Moon before speaking again.

"About Moon, and how she's doing." Hau said. "Gladion, you asked if Moon hates you-"

"Hau!" Gladion was ashamed of the squeak that his voice had been, but even more so of his friend learning what he feared.

"Don't worry, Gladion." Moon met his eyes. He could see something fighting within herself, could tell she was in discomfort. As he looked on, she forced herself to maintain eye contact with him. She smiled.

"Moon," Gladion said, unsure of what to say but determined to say something regardless. He could see what an effort she was making for him. He only wished he knew why.

"I don't hate you," announced Moon. "I could never hate you, Gladion. It's just that sometimes you'll look at me, and…" she trailed off. The resolve in her voice faded.

Hau gripped her arm bracingly. "It's okay," he said softly. "We're here for you."

"You have your mother's eyes." Moon avoided his gaze, then. Her gaze was fixed somewhere behind him, perhaps on one of her Pokémon.

Gladion was silent. "Moon, I- I never thought you might still be hurting. I should have known, I'm sorry."

She shook her head vigorously. "No, no, it's not your fault. I should have been honest with you."

"I should have known," repeated Gladion, his voice growing heavy. "You faced her in Ultra Space. We didn't. I'm sorry."

Moon shook her head again. "Honestly, it's okay. Well, not okay, but… can I tell you about it?"

"I'd like that," Gladion said as Hau nodded at his side. "Take your time, Moon."

She swallowed. "It was dark and bright at the same time. The air was glittery and it hurt to breathe in. Lusamine was this… creature. She was fused with a Nihilego. She had tentacles and the toxins from the Ultra Beast made her even more…"

"Unhinged," offered Gladion.

"Unhinged than before," said Moon. "Before we battled, Lillie wanted to talk to her. To see if she could get through to her. It was working, but then Lusamine saw me."

"Traveling with this trainer has made you ugly," Lusamine had sneered in that voice that both was hers and was not hers.

Lillie trembled, but stood her ground. "Moon has made me strong," she countered, her voice stronger than ever before. As she spoke, more Nihilego entered the cavern. It seemed smaller than before. They loomed overhead like threatening clouds. Their presence never left Moon.

A dark tendril reached towards Moon. It curled around her ankle and hoisted her into the air. Before Lillie's terrified eyes, Moon was slammed into the walls of the cavern. Lillie screamed, out of fear for Moon, out of anger towards her mother. Her screams jarred Moon, jolted her out of her daze. She released Decidueye from her Poké Ball in the bag swinging from her shoulder. Her first Pokémon, her first friend in Alola, appeared in a red flash to rescue her. From there it had been easy.

Defeat Lusamine.

Moon relayed this to her friends, eyes closed as to not see their expressions. She imagined them; Hau, upset but pleased that she'd finally shared this with him; Gladion, angry that he hadn't heard of this from her or his sister.

"I think the worst part was the Nihilego," Moon said, really just to fill the silence that ensued. "They were everywhere." A worse thought came to her. "No."

"No?" whispered Hau.

"The worst part was Lusamine talking to Lillie. She said she was ugly, that I made her ugly. Lusamine looked so cruel. Her eyes… whenever I saw those eyes, I used to think of Lillie. Now… it's her. They light up in the dark, and I know it's you but they look just like hers, and I-"

Moon was crying. Gladion was stunned. He didn't know how to comfort her, he just knew he understood her a lot better now. Fortunately for him, Hau was there.

"Hey, hey," he said, offering her a tissue he pulled out from his bag. "No worries. I've got plenty. Flareon gets colds a lot."

He didn't get a laugh, exactly, but there was a definite decrease in sobbing. She sniffed, rubbing her eyes.

"I'm stupid," she muttered. "The Alola Champion doesn't cry."

"But Moon does," said Hau. "They aren't the same, you know. Champion is just a title. But who you are? That's Moon. And everyone's allowed to cry, especially you. Going through all that and not saying anything? Never do that again, okay?"

She nodded, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry."

He sighed. "Don't be sorry. Just… you've got people in your corner, Moon. Talk to us! Talk to me."

"I will," she said, her voice surer this time. "Thank you. And Gladion?"

Gladion met her gaze; she didn't flinch.

"I can't promise I won't ever… you know," she said with a sad smile. "But please know it's not your fault, and I'd never hate you."

"Don't worry about me," he scolded. "I'm just glad you told me. I understand, Moon. I don't hold it against you. I never would."

Hau grinned and hugged Moon tightly. "See! Wasn't that great?"

Moon laughed and settled her chin on Hau's shoulder. "Thank you. Really."

"Anytime. Maybe not anytime, because Gladion's a busy President and we're not deserving of his time."

"Shut up, Hau."

"Aw, come here! Group hug!" Hau invited. He and Moon shifted to make room for Gladion. Moon smiled at him, her eyes slightly red but sparkling all the same. Gladion tried to ignore the look Hau was giving him, his gaze earnest and hopeful and pure. In the end, Hau won out.

"What, no snarky response?" Hau asked.

"Shut up, Hau."

* * *

Thank you for reading!


End file.
